Boat captains will be prosecuted for the collision on the Wadden Sea

The Public Prosecution Office (OM) will prosecute the captains of a fast ferry and a water cab for causing a collision that occurred at the Schuitengat on the Wadden Sea on October 21 last year. The collision resulted in the deaths of three people, and a 12-year-old boy remains missing. Several people suffered severe injuries. The prosecution asserted that both captains, a 33-year-old man from Harlingen and a 47-year-old resident of Terschelling, were sailing at excessive speeds. Consequently, both captains are accused of reckless behavior that led to the victims' death and inflicting grievous bodily harm.

The charges against a helmsman on the ferry have been dismissed. According to the prosecution, it has been proven that the helmsman had no influence over the operation of the ferry.

The accident occurred in the early morning near Terschelling, in an area known as the Schuitengat, which is not the usual route for the ferry. The speed limit in the Schuitengat is restricted to 20 kilometers per hour. Investigations revealed that the fast ferry was traveling at a speed of 55 kilometers per hour while the water cab was moving at 28 kilometers per hour. Following the accident, several residents of the islands reported frequent instances of excessive speeding on the Wadden Sea.

The prosecution attributed the collision to unclear agreements regarding how the vessels should pass each other. Furthermore, the captain of the water taxi executed an "incomprehensible and unsafe steering movement" at the last moment, leaving the captain of the ferry with no alternative but to pass over the water cab. One of the two captains also sustained serious injuries in the accident.

Additionally, the OM accused both captains of being guilty of sinking another boat, which posed a risk to life. The prosecution said the date for the court hearing against both individuals in Leeuwarden is currently unknown.